Sacramento Blackfish

The Sacramento blackfish (Orthodon microlepidotus) is a freshwater fish endemic to California’s Central Valley. It typically grows between 10 and 20 inches in length and can weigh up to 3 pounds. This species has a streamlined, torpedo-shaped body with small scales, a dark gray to olive coloration, and a slightly downturned mouth that is adapted for filter-feeding. Unlike most cyprinids (minnows), the Sacramento blackfish primarily feeds by filtering plankton and detritus from the water column using specialized gill rakers. This feeding strategy allows it to thrive in turbid, slow-moving waters like rivers, reservoirs, and floodplains. Sacramento blackfish spawn in late spring and early summer, with females laying thousands of eggs in shallow, vegetated waters. The species is highly resilient to environmental changes, tolerating varying temperatures, low oxygen levels, and high turbidity, making it well-suited for California’s fluctuating water conditions. Although historically important to Indigenous Peoples’ fisheries, Sacramento blackfish are now mostly harvested for commercial fish markets, particularly in Asian food markets in California. While populations remain stable, habitat degradation and competition with invasive species pose potential threats to their long-term survival.

Fun fact: In the 1960s the Sacramento Blackfish accounted for the majority of the value of California’s Commercial freshwater fishery!